SNTD 2012: Community bike ride highlights multimodal progress

Pictured here: Leadership ride organizers unfurled a banner near the Clingman Ave roundabout that celebrates the League of American Bicyclists recent declaration that Asheville is a “Bicycle Friendly Community.” Photos by Jake Frankel.

About 75 people participated in the May 21 Mayor’s Leadership Community Bike Ride, which aims to highlight recent multimodal infrastructure improvements and upcoming challenges.

It was a record turnout for the annual ride, which until this year, was meant exclusively for government officials and other leaders. Now open to the public for the first time, the ride still included a variety of elected representatives, including city council members Cecil Bothwell, Gordon Smith, Marc Hunt and chair of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, David Gantt.

At the invitation of members of the bicycle advocacy organization Asheville on Bikes, Jennifer Vervier, who serves as the director of sustainability & strategic development for New Belgium Brewing Co., made the trip from Fort Collins, Colo. to participate in the ride.

The group gathered in Pack Square Park as officials celebrated changes to the transit system designed to grow ridership and improve performance, convenience and safety. Bus fare will be free for the next three weeks.

Jennifer Vervier, who serves as the director of sustainability & strategic development for New Belgium Brewing Co. is pictured here (wearing a black t-shirt shirt in the middle) cheering improvements to the transit system. Officials from the company have cited the area’s growing multimodal infrastructure as a key factor in its decision to expand in Asheville, creating an estimated 154 direct jobs. As part of the deal to bring the company here, the city has agreed to build more bike lanes and greenways in the River Arts District.

City Manager Gary Jackson rode an honorary “Fat Tire” bike given to him by New Belgium. He managed to complete the nearly 5 mile ride on the single–speed bike, despite the hilly terrain.

Claudia Nix, owner of Liberty Bicycles and longtime biking advocate, praised the area’s growing bicycle culture and infrastructure. She also demonstrated how to use a new bicycle repair station at the Clingman Avenue roundabout (below).

New green paint on South Lexington Avenue helps mark the bike lane. “If we had all the money in the world, we could paint the whole bike lane green,” noted Asheville Transportation Director Ken Putnam as he explained the development (below).

Commissioner Holly Jones touted steps the YWCA has taken over the years to encourage multimodal transit, such as offering discounted “multimodal memberships” to folks who agree to ride the bus, bike, or walk to the facility rather than drive a vehicle. The memberships encourage healthy and environmentally sustainable choices, as well as reduce the need for more parking spaces, she explained.

Dwayne Stutzman, chair of the Buncombe County Trails and Greenways Commission, showed off his stylish three-wheeler.

Asheville on Bikes founder Mike Sule praised new multimodal improvements but said more resources are needed to continue making progress. Noting that the distribution of funding is often determined by who voters put in power, he encouraged the bicycle community to actively participate in the upcoming fall elections.